GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – The Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes is denying it fired a Green Bay troop leader for her role in organizing and collecting money for a recent vigil, but the former troop leader says what they are saying is not true.
“What Council is saying that I was let go for different reasons, that is a blatant lie. If I was fired for something else I would like to know what it is,” said Elizabeth Steffel.
What started as an idea to help a Girl Scout Troop devastated by the loss of three girls and a mother, has left a Troop Leader without her troop and big concerns after Steffel was dismissed nine days after the money was collected at a vigil she helped organize for three Girl Scouts and the Scout mother
Steffel was fired from her paid position involving Girl Scouts and removed from leading her Troop of 53 Girl Scouts in Green Bay.
Steffel says she was told in a meeting with HR that it was in relation to her helping organize raising money directly for the family of the victims.
Last month, three Girl Scouts and a Scout Mother were killed after being struck by a vehicle while doing roadside clean-up in Chippewa County.
Steffel said in a Facebook post that on November 3, she received multiple Facebook messages from parents in her troop asking if she was aware of the incident in Chippewa Falls.
She said they wanted to do something for the families and decided to make a Facebook post in their troop leader group page so other would be able to communicate easier.
According to Steffel on November 4, the leaders were discussing the idea of holding a small vigil in Green Bay for the troop and families. She says that soon spread to 6 troops that wanted to hold a vigil at the same time. She says once they made a public Facebook post, it grew to over 2000 followers instantly.
She says the next day she realized it was bigger than she expected and felt the Girl Scouts of Northwestern Great Lakes Council should be involved in the process.
“My Troop, respecting the Council, and the family that was suffering in Chippewa were all my consideration with every decision that I made.”
She says she was told by the Council that it might be hurting families affected by the incident. Steffel said after considering canceling, she contacted people directly involved and discovered that was not how the people involved felt and that they supporting the fundraising effort and vigil.
“We never wanted it to get this big,” Steffel said.
She says the confusion started when GSNWGL released a statement that told people they could make donations directly to them.
“The money directed to them would not go to the families.”
Steffel says after contacting troop leaders, they decided to follow the families wishes and go through with the fundraiser and vigil with the money going directly to the families and not GSNWGL.
“We knew this would be a tough choice, but felt the families and Chippewa Valley community mattered more.”
Steffel said in her post that when she informed the Council that they were proceeding, all she was told was that she could not mention the Council’s name as supporting it.
Steffel said it was Monday when she was told to meet in the GS office and HR was there.
“I was told that I needed to explicitly state to my leaders that council was not profiting off of this,” Steffel said in her post. “I asked if Girl Scouts were giving money donated to them to the families, they said no. I told them I could not do that because that would be lying.”
Steffel says it was at that point that Steffel was told she needed to do it or be fired, and chose to part ways with her paid position, but never expected to lose her troop.
“Right now my biggest concern is my Troop. There are 53 girls who rely on this Troop that I have been working with for three years who are heartbroken. They rely on us to give them a safe place they have lost that now.”
It’s unclear what the future is for Steffel’s former troop.
“None of this is what the Girl Scout mission is all about. The Girl Scout mission is to help others and make the world a better place,” Steffel said. “What is happening now is contrary to that mission.”
On Tuesday, GSNWGL released another statement.
1) Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes makes every attempt to retain our valued volunteers and staff working with individuals to make sure both their needs and Council standards are met.
2) Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes did not take punitive action on any individual, organization, or troop for any event or action related to supporting the families impacted by the Chippewa Falls tragedy.
3) Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, as a 501(c)(3) did not, will not, and cannot fundraise for the families impacted by the Chippewa Falls tragedy or direct the use of funds others raised. Any funds raised through private efforts, such as GoFundMe, are not for use by our Council. Accordingly, we have no stake in how these funds are used.
We understand that emotions are high and personal relationships may impact how certain events are interpreted. Our Council, members, and volunteers were deeply saddened by the great loss in Chippewa Falls and those feelings extended far and wide in the Girl Scout sisterhood.
